The dome as a building technique was first found in the tombs of the Mesara Plain in Crete (c. 2500-2000 BC). The Pantheon at Rome (c. AD 112) however, is the first important example of a dome. It provided the inspiration for a whole series of circular churches, large and small with domes or vaults, from the Renaissance onwards. These early domes were constructed from stone and were massive structures.
The dome as a building technique was revived in the late nineteen thirties by Buckminster Fuller who began to create a variety of novel connections to create his now famous geodesic domes. Examples of patented Fuller geodesic domes are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,682,235 and 2,914,074.
Fuller, as well as the Romans and other early dome builders were successful in creating huge open spaces but gave no thought to developing a universal connector which would not only create the roof structure but also serve as a connector for attaching other structures above or below the roof line.
Many other connectors for geodesic domes have been presented but all are concerned with the single purpose of creating the shell. None of them make any provision for appurtenant structures which attach to either the outside or inside of the dome structure.
Hannoosh, U.S. Pat. No. 3,002,590 provides a ring connector for the attachment of straps but no connection is provided radial to the dome surface.
Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,176 illustrates a wood geodesic dome which was popular in the nineteen sixties and is still in vogue today. Miller did not use metal connectors and shows no means of attaching structural members radial to the dome at the intersection of the wood struts.
Nye, U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,371 teaches a disc type metal connector for attaching wood struts. No provision is made for connecting struts radial to the dome.
McCauley, U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,522 teaches clips to hold wood struts but does not provide any space in the center of the cluster of clips to insert pipes or other structural members through the center of the hub. Other than the pipe 28 which is part of the hub structure. No structure is provided for connecting another connector radial to the dome.
Braccini, U.S. Pat. No. 3,323,820 teaches a ring connector with provision for the attachment of specially notched wood struts. There is no substantial opening through the connector for the insertions of pipes nor does the connector teach a structure for connecting members radial to the dome.
Woods, U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,278 teaches the use of a cylindrical hub member in which individual clamps attach wood strut members to the hub. The struts cannot abut the hub for compression strength nor is there any provision for attaching members radial to the dome.
Birkemeir, U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,509 teaches a cylindrical hub with cresent shaped bolt holds welded to the inner hub wall and stiffener plates welded to the top and bottom of the hub. No opening is provided through the hub except for a small opening used as a lifting attachment during construction of the dome. No provision is made for attachment of structural members radial to the dome.
Scott, U.S. Pat. No. 3,810,342 teaches a hexagonal hub with bolt openings therethrough for the receipt of bolts attached to connector assemblies which hold the wood struts. A stiffening plate adds rigidity thereby preventing insertion of structural members through the hub. No provision is made for attachment of members radial to the dome.
Ahern, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,074 provides a cone shaped hub to which diverging leg members are bolted. No opening is provided for relatively large structures to protrude therethrough and there is no provision for structures to be attached radial to the dome.
Hogan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,844,664 teaches an icolsahedron disc for attaching wood struts. There is no substantial opening through the disc or any provision for attachment of structures radial to the dome.
Gunther, U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,195, teaches a connector having leg plates welded together which are inserted through slits made in the end of the wood struts. No substantial opening is provided through the connector nor is there any provision for connecting structural members radial to the dome.
Johnson et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,461 teaches the use of a sleeve formed with openings for the receipt of specially formed tongue members. The wood struts are attached to the tongue members. No provision is made for the attachment of structural members radial to the dome.